Method and apparatus for determining the location of a ski binding on a ski in accordance with the size of a skier{40 s boot

ABSTRACT

The method consists in making the ski binding jaws moveable along the longitudinal axis of the ski, mechanically connecting the jaws so that the movement of one jaw in one direction causes the movement of the other jaw in the opposite direction, and acting on the mechanical connection between the jaws so that the jaws are moved simultaneously by single control means until the jaws reach a relative position where the sole of an appropriately-sized boot is enclosed and held to the ski.

United States Patent Salomon 1 Dec. 31, 1974 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR 2,576,639 11/1951 Purvis 280/ 1 1.35 A DETERMINING THE LOCATION or ASKI agn g tfig g g 2;: g fg f g gg 3:618:220 11/1969 Skelton 33/189 [76]Inventor: Georges Pierre Joseph Salomon, 34 S J Z2 527? w T ana a Q dcLoverchy Annecy 29,737 5/1919 Norway 280/1135 A Filedi p 1972 PrimaryExaminer-Harry N. Haroian [2]] Appl 287,072 Assistant Examiner-John W.Shepperd [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Sept 81971 France 71 32449 The method consists in making the ski binding jawsmoveable along the longitudinal axis of the ski, me- [52] U S Cl 33/192280/11 35 E chanically connecting the jaws so that the movement [51]343] 6 A63c9/O0 of one jaw in one direction causes the movement of [58]Field 33/192 19] the other jaw in the opposite direction, and acting on280/11 1135 b the mechanical connection between the jaws so that I thejaws are moved simultaneously by single control [56] References Citedmeans until the jaws reach a relative position where the sole of anappropriately-sized boot is enclosed and UNITED STATES PATENTS held tothe Ski 1,703,736 2/1929 Jacob 33/192 2,186,479 1/1940 Elliott 280/1135E 14 Claims, 4 Drawing Flgures PATEHTEB UEC31 I974 sum 1 or A PATEHTEU95331 I974 SHEET 2 BF 4 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THELOCATION OF A SKI BINDING ON A SKI IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SIZE OF ASKIER'S BOOT This invention relates to a method and apparatus foradapting a system of binding a boot to a ski as a function of the sizeof boot worn by the skier.

It is known that when safety bindings are mounted on a ski, it iscustomary to arrange for the front of the boot to be locatedsubstantially at the centre of the ski. More rarely, and depending onthe type of run (downhill, slalom) the skier desires to undertake, themounting may be such that the front of the boot is located slightly infront of, or on the contrary, slightly behind the centre of the ski.

In this connection, the centreof the ski serving as the reference pointis actually defined for an average size boot (for example, size 40,5 fora 2 m ski). Now the majority of conventional ski bindings having a toestop and a heel piece are designed in a manner such that the distancebetween them is adapted to different sizes of boot by moving only theheel piece. In other words, once the toe stop is attached to the ski,there is no way of altering the position thereof.

At the present time, only a few manufacturers provide means for alteringthe positions of the mounted bindings. Moreover, any such alterationinvolves adjustments independent of the heel piece and toe stop, whichdoubles the adjusting time.

Furthermore, there is no convenient way of ascertaining, at the timewhen the ski-bindings are being mounted, the optimal position for theholes used to assemble the bindings to the ski, this adjustment beingcarried out in a somewhat empirical manner.

lt'should also be pointed out that this possible double adjustment ofthe ski bindings is almost impossible to carry out at a ski resort,since it is a delicate and lengthy operation which would cut seriouslyinto the skiing time available.

Thus quite unbelievable situations arise, especially in the case ofrented skis, since a ski of a given length may be rented to one customerwearing a size 38 boot and to another customer wearing a 45, with nochange being made in the position of the toe stop.

Under these circumstances, the skis rented to the first customer wouldbe suitable for a special slalom event, while the second customer coulduse them only for downhill skiing.

It will therefore be appreciated that if the customer uses the skis fora type of skiing for which they are not suitable, he may get intoserious trouble and even fall.

It is an object of this invention to overcome this problem by means of asimple and economic solution which can be used by the skier himself.

More particularly, the present invention is concerned with ascertainingfrom a reference position corresponding to a standard boot size, thecorrect location of the safety bindings on a ski, in order to adapt thebindings to the size of boot worn by the skier. Moreover, this isachieved without altering the characteristics of the pair of skis.

To this end, the process according to the present invention consists in:making the front and rear jaws mobile in the longitudinal axis of theski; mechanically connecting the jaws in a manner such that moving onejaw in one direction causes the otherjaw to move in the other direction;and in acting upon the mechanical connection between the jaws todisplace them simultaneously in a single operation, until the jaws arelocated in a position such that the sole of the boot may be clamped andheld to the ski.

The jaws may, of course, move at the same speed under the action of themechanical connection, but in one preferred form of embodiment thesemovements take place at different speeds in relation to the ski. It ispreferable that the heel piece move at a lower speed than the toe stop.

It will be noted that this ability, provided by the invention, to carryout adjustments at different speeds makes it possible to depart from thearrangement now in general use, whereby the front of the foot is in asubstantially fixed position at the centre of the ski. This provides aconsiderable advantage from the point of view of efficiency and safety.Indeed, it has been found that, if the characteristics of the ski are tobe maintained, the axis of the leg should be located at all times at thesame point on the ski, regardless of the size of the boot worn by theskier.

The device according to this invention makes it possible to maintain theaxis of the skiers leg at all times in the same location in relation tothe ski, if the ratio between the respective speeds of movement of thejaws is made equal to the ratio between the distances be tween the axisof the leg and the front and rear ends of the sole.

Since the distance between the axis of the leg and the tip of the bootis approximately three times the distance between the axis of the legand the heel of the boot, it is of advantage for the speeds in questionto be in a ratio of 3 to each other.

In other words, if the front jaw moves at three times the speed of therear jaw, the axis of the leg will at all times be at the same locationin relation to the ski, regardless of the size of the boot worn by theskier.

The present device for carrying the above process is one in which thejaw components slide in a fixed structure comprising a means forlongitudinal guidance. the jaws being connected to each other by amechanism which derives them in opposite directions along thelongitudinal axis of the ski, the mechanism having a single control.

Where the jaws move at different speeds, speedreduction meansco-operating with at least one of the jaws provided.

One advantage of the system according to the invention is that it may beused practically without modification:

for ascertaining the location of the permanent assembly holes in theski;

for adapting a particular binding to various boot sizes (for examplewhen skis are rented).

Several preferred forms of embodiments of this present invention willnow be described in conjunction with the drawings attached hereto,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in perspective of a device accordingto the invention having a rackandpinion drive particularly suitable foradjusting the safety bindings mounted on the ski;

FIG. la illustrates a device identical with that shown in FIG. 1 butadapted more particularly to drilling the holes for assembling thebinding to the ski;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to those in FIG. 1 and la, in which the driveconsists of a system of cables; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to those in FIGS. 1, 1a and 2 in which thedrive system for the retaining elements is a screw.

As already stated above, the system according to the invention isequally suitable for:

ascertaining the location of the holes for permanently assembling thesafety binding to a ski, in relation to a position of reference, for agiven size of boot; and

adjusting the distance between the two elements of a binding mounted ona ski, this adjustment making it possible to adapt the binding toseveral boot sizes.

Since, as will be seen hereinafter, the essentials of the device may beused for either purpose without modifying the structure thereof, FIGS. 1and la show an example of each of the possible adaptations, whereas, forthe sake of simplicity, FIGS. 2 and 3 show only that part of the devicewhich remains identical regardless of the use to which it is put.

In FIG. 1, the numeral 1 indicates the central portion of a ski, towhich is attached, by means of screws for example, a base plate 2enclosed in a housing 3 attached to plate 2 by any suitable means(screwing, crimping, welding, etc.). Housing 3 has a longitudinal slot 4located along the axis of the ski, in which are lo cated a front stop 5and a heel piece 6. These will not be described in detail since they areconventional safety bindings. It is merely pointed out that the frontstop has a downward extension 7 which passes into the housing and isintegral with a primary rack 8 running practically along the entirelength of the housing and adapted to protrude therefrom through windows9 arranged in the ends thereof.

Ahead of stop 5, rack 8 engages with a control pinion l integral with avertical shaft 11 rotatably mounted both in base plate 2 and in theupper housing 3. Shaft 11 serves to set the device to the size of boot,and may with advantage be equipped with a knob 11 carrying referencemarks 12 making it possible to adjust the binding as a function of thesize of boot worn by the skier.

Behind the heel piece, the rear end of rack 8 engages with two lateralpinions l3, 14 mounted to rotate freely about vertical axes 15 locatedin base plate 2 and housing 3.

Pinions l3, 14 are integral with pinions 16, 17 of reduced diameterengaging with the toothed branches 18, 19 of a secondary rack 20integral with base 21 of heel piece 6 which extends across slot 4 in thehousing.

It will be observed that front stop may carry a pointer 22 moving alonga scale 23 indicating the length of the ski.

It is preferable to provide an opening 24 in front stop 5 through whicha mark corresponding to the centre of the ski may be seen when thehousing is being assembled to the ski. Of course, base plate 2 also hasan opening which exposes the mark.

In order that the mark indicating the centre of the ski may be visiblethrough opening 24, the distance between the toe stop and the heel piecemust be equal to the standard boot size, i.e. 40.5 for a ski 2.5 m inlength; in this case, pointer 22 on the stop points to the mark on thescale corresponding to the length of the ski used.

In order to lock the toe stop and the heel piece in relation to eachother as soon as the device has been set to the boot size, means may beprovided to lock knob 11 to the housing. Any known arrangement may beused for this purpose, forexample a spring finger 25 engaging in one ofa series of holes in the surface of the housing.

The operation of the device described above is very simple, and may begathered from the description thereof. It will be observed that in theparticular case illustrated, the heel piece moves at one third of thespeed of the front stop, since the step-down ratio between the pairs ofpinions l3 16 and 14 17 is I23.

FIG. la illustrates the case in which the device according to theinvention is used to determine the location of the holes used toassemble the safety-binding system permanently to the ski, and also todrill the said holes.

The essentials of this device are identical with that in FIG. 1, exceptthat:

l. baseplate 2A (in the form of a frame exposing the central part of theski), which is integral with housing 3a, is placed on ski 1a in a mannersuch that it may be moved longitudinally in order to find the centre ofthe ski through opening 24a;

2. stop 5 and heel piece 6 in FIG. 1 are replaced by drilling templets Gand G respectively having jaws 5a and 6a between which the boot isaccommodated. Like jaw 5 is FIG. 1, templet G is integral with primaryrack 8a, while templet G is integral with secondary rack 20a. Jaws 5aand 6a are also integral with horizontal plates P P equipped with drilljigs C (four in plate P three in plate P in the example illustrated) toguide the drills which drill into the ski the holes into which areinserted the screws permanently assembling the conventional toe stop andheel piece to the ski.

It will be noted that in order to make it possible to drill these holesin the ski, any mechanical parts between the drill jigs and the ski willhave appropriate openings below the jigs, as shown at f, in rack and atf in housing 3a.

In order to hold the device in place once it is set, and to allowaccurate drilling of the holes, each drilling templet is equipped with aclamping mechanism, indicated in a general manner by S, which will bedescribed only briefly since it is a known device which is not a part ofthe invention. Each of the clamping mechanisms has two lateral ears 0extending vertically on each side of the ski; ach ear 0 is integral witha head T, the flat bottom surface of which slides on plate P (or P HeadsT have internal threads of the same pitch but opposite hand and arealigned by means of a fixed central dowel B integral with plate P, (or PA screw V passes through heads T and dowel B, the screw being preventedby the dowel from moving axially, but being free to rotate under theaction of a knob U. The parts of the screw engaging with heads T haveleft and right-hand threads, so that rotation of knob U causes heads Tto move simultaneously towards or away from dowel B. It will beunderstood that when heads T move towards each other, ears 0 clamp thedevice to the ski and lock the drilling templets in position.

It will also be understood that the arrangement in FIG. la has numerousadvantages making the operation of drilling the skis simpler, faster,safer, and more accurate.

Once the drilling device is pre-set to a reference boot-size (forexample 40.5), the following procedure is all that is required to drillthe skis for another size, for example 44;

release ears and move the unit shown in FIG. la along the ski so thatthe ski centre mark appears in opening 24a; separate the drill templetsby operating the rack system by means of knob 12a, without movinghousing 3a;

place the size 44 boot between jaws a and 6a and bring the jaws togetherby means of the rack system until the boot is securely held;

clamp ears 0 to the ski and proceed with the drilling operation.

FIG. 2 illustrates an arrangement similar to that in FIGS. 1 and la,except that the rack and pinion is replaced by a system of cables. Byway of simplification, FIG. 2 (like FIG. 3) shows only those parts ofthe jaw structure such as are required in order to understand theinvention, it being understood that the system may be applied, as hasbeen seen in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, both in conjunction withdrilling templets and when safety bindings are directly available.Hooked to the front face of front jaw 5 is a cable 26 which winds aroundshaft 27 of the size-setting knob, to which one end of cable 26 isattached.

Located behind rear jaw 6 are two pairs of pulleys 28, 29, eachconsisting of a large-diameter pulley 30, 31 and a smaller diameterpulley 32, 33, the pulleys being integral with common vertical axes 34,35.

Attached to large pulleys 30, 31 are the ends of cables 36, 37 whichpass around the pulleys and unite at 38 with the end of an axial cable39, the opposite end of which is attached at 40 to the rear face ofjaw5.

Attached to small pulleys 32, 33 are the ends of two secondary cables40, 41, the opposite'ends of which are hooked at 42 to the rear face ofrear jaw 6.

A spring 43 is preferably hooked between the front and rear jaws andurged these two elements towards each other. It is, of course, quiteconceivable that the rear jaw could be pushed or pulled towards thefront jaw by means of a spring, or any other resilient system, arrangeddifferently from spring 43 but performing the same function.

In this variant, especially when a safety system is used, it will be ofadvantage, after the size-setting operation, to lock the front and rearjaws in relation to the ski, in order to prevent any unwanted movementthereof while skiing. Use may be made ofa locking system similar to thatin FIG. 1, namely, a spring finger 44 engaging in one of a series ofholes 45 in the housing.

A description will now be given of the device illustrated in FIG. 3. Inthis case, the mechanical sizesetting system consists of a rod 46running inside the housing along the longitudinal axis of the ski, therod being mounted in the housing in a manner such that it is free torotate therein but cannot move axially. To this end, the forward end ofthe rod is mounted in a stationary bearing 47 integral with the housingand in an intermediate bearing 48 integral with baseplate 2.

Bearings 47 and 48 are of a conventional type which allows the rod torotate without moving axially. Rear end 49 of the rod protrudes fromhousing 3 and carries an adjusting knob 50. The rod also has twothreaded zones 51, 52 running respectively between bearings 47 and 48and between bearings 48 and knob 50. Threads 51, 52 are of oppositehand, for instance thread 51 may be right-handed and thread 52left-handed. Thread 51 co-operates with a threaded hole in the structureof front jaw 5, while thread 52 engages with a threaded hole in thestructure of rear jaw 6. Finally, in order that the front jaw may moveat three times the speed of the heel piece, the pitch of thread 51 isthree times that of thread 52.

It is to be understood that the rotation of rod 46 by means of knob 50causes the front and rear jaws to move simultaneously towards or awayfrom each other (depending on the direction of rotation of the saidrod).

What I claim is:

1. A templet device for drilling a ski in order to locate along thelongitudinal axis of the ski the positions for securing to the ski,front and rear parts of a safety ski binding relative to a referenceposition carried by the ski and corresponding to a standard ski boot,whatever the size of the ski boot, said device comprising:

a housing carrying clamping means for detachably securing said housingon said ski, said housing having a longitudinally elongated slot;

a front plate and a rear plate engaged in said slot of said housing andslidable therein, said front and rear plates having drill jigs;

a reverse drive mechanism located in said housing and connecting saidfront and rear plates for moving said plates along the longitudinal axisof the ski in opposite directions; and

a single control means acting on said drive mechanism for moving saidplates.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanismcomprises: a primary rack secured to one of said plates; a secondaryrack secured to the other plate; at least one pair of integral pinionsmeshing respectively with one of the primary and secondary racks; and acontrol pinion adapted to be operated by the user and meshing with oneof the two racks for displacing said one rack.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the stepdown ratio between thetwo pinions of a pair is 1/3, the larger diameter pinion meshing withthe primary rack.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein said front and rear plates areprovided with jaws.

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein said control pinion is securedto said single control means.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanismcomprises: a frist cable constituted in two parts, one end of one ofsaid parts being connected to one of said plates and the other endthereof wound to a rotating control shaft adapted to be operated by theuser and one end of the other of said parts being connected to said oneplate and the other end thereof wound to at least the first of a pair ofintegral pulleys free to rotate about a vertical axis; one end of atleast one secondary cable being connected to the second plate and theother end thereof being wound to the second of the pair of pulleys; anda resilient element provided for the purpose of urging the two platestowards each other.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the diameter of the firstpulley is three times that of the second.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein .the drive mechanism consistsof an axial rod mounted in bearing means adapted to prevent said rodtomove axially in relation to the ski but to allow said rod to rotate,said rod having two sections with opposite threads engaging mechanismcomprises at least one speed-reducing element designed to co-operatewith at least one of said plates to allow said one plate to be driven ata speed differing from that of the other plate.

13. A device according to claim 1 wherein one of said plates is providedwith an index means adapted to cooperate with said reference position.

l4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes aknob rotatably mounted on said housing.

1. A templet device for drilling a ski in order to locate along thelongitudinal axis of the ski the positions for securing to the ski,front and rear parts of a safety ski binding relative to a referenceposition carried by the ski and corresponding to a standard ski boot,whatever the size of the ski boot, said device comprising: a housingcarrying clamping means for detachably securing said housing on saidski, said housing having a longitudinally elongated slot; a front plateand a rear plate engaged in said slot of said housing and slidabletherein, said front and rear plates having drill jigs; a reverse drivemechanism located in said housing and connecting said front and rearplates for moving said plates along the longitudinal axis of the ski inopposite directions; and a single control means acting on said drivemechanism for moving said plates.
 2. A device according to claim 1,wherein said drive mechanism comprises: a primary rack secured to one ofsaid plates; a secondary rack secured to the other plate; at least onepair of integral pinions meshing respectively with one of the primaryand secondary racks; and a control pinion adapted to be operated by theuser and meshing with one of the two racks for displacing said one rack.3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the stepdown ratio between thetwo pinions of a pair is 1/3, the larger diameter pinion meshing withthe primary rack.
 4. A device according to claim 2, wherein said frontand rear plates are provided with jaws.
 5. A device according to claim2, wherein said control pinion is secured to said single control means.6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanismcomprises: a frist cable constituted in two parts, one end of one ofsaid parts being connected to one of said plates and the other endthereof wound to a rotating control shaft adapted to be operated by theuser and one end of the other of said parts being connected to said oneplate and the other end thereof wound to at least the first of a pair ofintegral pulleys free to rotate about a vertical axis; one end of atleast one secondary cable being connected to the second plate and theother end thereof being wound to the second of the pair of pulleys; anda resilient element provided for the purpose of urging the two platestowards each other.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein thediameter of the first pulley is three times that of the second.
 8. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism consists of anaxial rod mounted in bearing means adapted to prevent said rod to moveaxially in relation to the ski but to allow said rod to rotate, said rodhaving two sections with opposite threads engaging respectively intrheaded holes in said front and rear plates.
 9. A device according toclaim 8, wherein the pitch of the thread on one of the threaded sectionsis three times that of the other.
 10. A device according to claim 1,further comprising locking means ensuring that said plates are locked inrelation to each other when said drive mechanism is out of action.
 11. Adevice according to claim 10, wherein the locking means is the drivemechanism.
 12. A device according to claim 1, wherein said drivemechanism comprises at least one speed-reducing element designed toco-operate with at least one of said plates to allow said one plate tobe driven at a speed differing from that of the other plate.
 13. Adevice according to claim 1 wherein one of said plates is provided withan index means adapted to cooperate with said reference position.
 14. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes a knobrotatably mounted on said housing.